


Pins and Needles

by fabrega



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Halloween, Halloween Costumes, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-13 11:50:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21243620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabrega/pseuds/fabrega
Summary: Jesse does his best not to ruin Gabe's favorite holiday.





	Pins and Needles

**Author's Note:**

> This started life as a prompt from [artenon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/artenon)! and then it got away from me. Thanks so much to [smarshtastic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smarshtastic) for the last-minute beta. I don't know what I'd do without you, bb. ♥

Reyes skims through the list that his team had sent him, then looks up at Jesse.

Jesse's seated in a chair on the other side of Reyes's desk, watching Reyes. His feet are not literally up on the desk, but it feels like they might be, metaphorically--he thinks that's probably why the team had nominated him to come ask Reyes for this favor.

Reyes's eyes narrow. "You know that I have a lot on my plate right now, right? You of all people should know that."

Jesse takes his metaphorical feet off the desk, straightens up, tries to look...contrite? Contrite is probably good. Maybe a little reassuring too. He _does _know how much Reyes has on his plate right now. They've been in all the same briefings, been planning all the same missions. The business in Hong Kong, coming right on the heels of the big op in Hamburg and that Overwatch shitshow they'd had to clean up across five midwestern states--there have been a lot of late nights, a lot of lost sleep. Reyes has seemed tired, stretched thin, at times almost see-through.

But that's part of why the team is doing this, isn't it? A little break for all of them?

"I know how busy you are, boss. I also know that every Halloween you tell us that you want the team to show more holiday spirit," Jesse says. "We always ruin your favorite holiday. You're always _disappointed_."

Reyes fixes him with a look. "And what part of that disappointment did you think you'd mitigate by making me make Halloween costumes for the entire team?"

"Oh, c'mon, you love that costume shit, don't even pretend that you don't."

Reyes manages to hold his stern look for longer than Jesse expects, but he does grin eventually, just like Jesse knew he would. He's been sneaking off to work on his costume for this year for a week or so now, and he always comes back in a much better mood than when he'd left.

"Besides, we don't need that much help." Jesse goes down the list, ticking them off on his fingers. "Shimada is going as you, all he needs is one of your hats and a felt goatee. Stef's alternate universe costume just needs you to requisition her an Overwatch uniform. Edwards wants to be Superman, but he would be perfectly happy with a store-bought costume if you don't feel up to dealing with the spandex yourself. And Prithi has the pattern for her thing already, she just needs a little help putting it together."

"Okay, good, because I had no idea what this thing was." Reyes squints at the list. "This _Codename Yuri: Sparkle Berry Go!_ thing."

"It's that show she watches, the one where the lady spins around all sparkly and becomes a princess and fights bad guys." Jesse says this with some authority, although he hadn't known that either before Prithi had told him while he was assembling the list.

"Okay, so that leaves Shiga--"

"Don't worry about him. He's doing his own thing, he always does." It's true; Shiga's enthusiasm for Halloween and all its rituals rivals the Commander's. He's the only one that Reyes hasn't been disappointed in at Halloween, over the years. Whatever his costume is, it's gonna be great.

"And you, the--" Reyes consults the list again, "--sexy cowboy."

Jesse chuckles, leaning back in his chair. "Why, boss, I had no idea you thought of me that way."

"That's what it _says_ on the _list_, McCree," Reyes says, scowling. A blush is too much to hope for, Jesse knows, but that doesn't stop him from looking.

"I'm thinking assless chaps, with the fringe that'll shake when my ass does, and maybe a bandanna with rhinestones on it?" Jesse says thoughtfully.

Reyes shakes his head. "First, all chaps are assless. Assful chaps are just pants."

Jesse snorts a laugh.

"Second, I'm not making you a sexy cowboy costume. I refuse."

"Oh, so you're just gonna be disappointed in me for Halloween again this year? Well, you can't say I didn't try."

Reyes scrubs a hand over his face. "I didn't say I wouldn't make you _a _costume. Just not _that_ costume. Believe it or not, this is a workplace and we have to keep it vaguely appropriate."

Jesse thinks about the Hamburg clusterfuck, about how much swearing and blood and incidental nudity had been involved, and thinks that this is a pretty flimsy excuse.

But the point of the sexy cowboy costume wasn't that Jesse wanted to be a sexy cowboy; he already _is_ a sexy cowboy. He knows this. The point of the sexy cowboy costume was to fluster Reyes, on the list and during the process of costume creation and at the Blackwatch Halloween party. If Reyes isn't even gonna pretend to play along, there's not much of a point, now is there?

"Well then, what costume _will_ you make me?"

Reyes sighs. Jesse can just tell that he's going to launch into some put-upon bullshit about how _does he have to do everything around here_\--which is really rich, after Hamburg, and which, to his credit, is making Reyes hesitate a moment instead of launching right into it.

Jesse takes advantage of the pause to redirect. "What's _your_ costume?"

"I'll be going as Dracula this year," Reyes says. He preens a little as he says it, obviously proud of the choice and the costume itself. He's got every right to be, too. His costumes are always awesome.

Well, if Reyes is gonna be Dracula... "Can you make me a Van Helsing costume?"

Reyes closes his eyes and sighs.

Jesse knows he's torn. Reyes doesn't want to say yes to something that could be considered a couple's costume, but Reyes also knows that all of Jesse's suggestions after this are going to be 'sexy' things--sexy fireman, sexy librarian, sexy UN secretary general. It's harmless flirting, and he'll stop the moment Reyes asks.

Well, it's not _exactly_ harmless, Jesse flirts with Reyes jokingly because he _likes_ Reyes; it's only jokingly because Reyes obviously doesn't feel the same way. Honestly, it's pretty surprising that Reyes hasn't asked him to stop.

When Reyes opens his eyes again, his voice is quiet. "You want to be the one who kills me?"

That makes Jesse pause. Is that a joke? Jesse can't tell if that's a joke. "Y'know, I'm realizing now that I may not actually know anything about Dracula."

A smile tugs at the corner of Reyes's mouth.

(God, does Jesse like that smile.)

* * *

It's been nearly two weeks before Jesse gets what looks like a meeting invite from Reyes, subject _Your Halloween Costume_. He looks over at Reyes, who's strapped into the jump seat next to him and busily tapping away on his tablet.

"I'm _right here_," Jesse says, laughing a little.

"This way it's official," Reyes says, not looking up from the tablet. Jesse's glad he doesn't look up, actually, because something about the way he says it, _official_, makes something flutter in Jesse's stomach and it's surely obvious on Jesse's face.

* * *

When Jesse shows up to his official fitting, it turns out that Reyes has already made a start on his costume. "Try this on," Reyes says, handing him a white shirt with a tall, open collar; brown pants; and a vest with strange, shiny fasteners on the front.

"Didn't realize Van Helsing was a dweeb," Jesse says. He sits down on the sofa, pulling off his boots. "Didn't know he was a man who wore a _vest_."

Reyes glares at him. "It's a _waistcoat_, McCree. It's elegant."

"He hunts vampires in this thing?" Jesse holds the vest up. The...waistcoat. Whatever it is. It might be elegant, but it doesn't look very practical to him.

"Did you want my help with your costume or not?"

Jesse sets the vest down, raises his hands placatingly. "Sorry, sorry. I'm sure it'll all come together just fine." He pauses so he can catch Reyes's eye meaningfully. "I trust you."

Reyes grumbles, looking away, but Jesse can tell that he's secretly pleased. Besides, if he doesn't know by now that Jesse trusts him, with his life and with everything else, there's really no hope for him.

Jesse waits for Reyes to leave or turn around or something, to give him a little bit of privacy to try on the costume he'd been handed. But Reyes doesn't do any of that; he just sits there like he's waiting for something--presumably for Jesse to try the thing on. Not that Jesse minds, but still, it's a little weird.

"You gonna watch me change, boss? 'Cause I gotta be honest, there's easier, less-involved ways to see me in my underwear than making me a whole-ass elaborate Halloween costume."

Reyes, god bless him, actually looks flustered. "That's not--I was only going to--never mind. Fine! Fine." He throws up his hands and turns to face the wall.

Jesse smiles to himself and strips down to his undershirt and boxers. He starts with the pants, unfolding them and holding them up. They look about the right size, but then again, Jesse's never been a very good at eyeing these things up. He pulls the pants on. The waist fits well, but they're surprisingly loose around the thighs? Jesse shifts, trying to get them to settle comfortably, and--

"What the hell," he yelps as pain shoots through his leg. He pulls the pant leg out away from his skin, and _now_ he notices the pins holding the seams together. "There's pins in this!"

"I know!" Reyes says, still facing the wall. "That's what I was going to help with."

"Well, shit, better late than never," Jesse says through gritted teeth.

Reyes helps him extract the pins, from his leg and from the pants. It's not until they're all removed that Jesse realizes how close they are together, how much Reyes has been touching him and how gently.

"So, before the pins, did they fit?" Reyes asks.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, mostly. Waist was good, thighs could be snugger." Jesse pauses, thoughtful. "I mean, if that fits the whole old-timey elegant look you're going for."

"It does," Reyes says dryly. "Let's see what we can do."

What they can do, it turns out, is measure Jesse's thighs with one of those soft plastic measuring tapes. Reyes wraps it gently around the meat of Jesse's thigh, pulls it gently taut, holds it there with his thumb while he turns to write the measurement down. It's incredibly intimate, in a way Jesse didn't expect and is barely prepared for.

People aren't...people aren't gentle with Jesse.

It feels a little pathetic, how much he wants to lean into the touch, how much he wants to reach out and touch Reyes too. This Halloween costume business was meant to fluster Reyes; now _Jesse's_ the flustered one. How did this even _happen_.

They make it through the pants fitting, just barely, and the shirt and waistcoat don't need much adjustment, which is good, because Jesse's not sure he could take many more of Reyes's gentle touches without losing it altogether. Once they're done with those pieces, Reyes brings out what he calls the _pièce de résistance_, the long coat that completes the ensemble.

It's beautiful, brown with silver accents on its elaborate lapel and the almost-pauldrons that hang over its shoulders. That's not even all the ornamentation--there are patterns that look like they're stamped into the coat, what looks like a big insignia on the back.

"I wondered why it had taken you two weeks to get back to me," he murmurs, holding the coat up, turning it to admire the handiwork.

"This is why," Reyes says, pride obvious in his voice. He should be proud, this thing is goddamn amazing. It's evident how much work and care that went into it, and Jesse is blown away.

"You did all this for me?" The words escape Jesse without him even realizing.

"Of course," Reyes says softly. Before Jesse has time to process what that could possibly mean, he continues, "You're lucky the others didn't ask for very complicated costumes."

Jesse looks at the coat again, then back at Reyes. "I sure am."

* * *

The Halloween party is a success. The team's costumes are much better than last year and the year before, although that _is_ a low bar to clear.

Genji's wearing a Blackwatch hoodie and one of Reyes's beanies, and he's taped a felt goatee to his faceplate. (He's still not wearing pants, but whatever, Jesse figures that clothes at all are a start.)

Valdez is wearing what looks like one of Captain Amari's uniforms, the long blue commander's coat and the little blue beret. Her hair is in pigtails, for reasons Jesse can't fathom, and she keeps smiling widely. It's really disconcerting, which Jesse is pretty sure is the point of her alternate universe costume in the first place.

Edwards is dressed as Batman, not Superman. It's obviously a store-bought costume, but also obviously tailored to better fit Edwards. He won't stop doing the low, gravelly Batman voice, and it definitely isn't getting old quickly.

Prithi is a goddamn vision in neon pink, with a complicated hairstyle that seems like it was probably drawn in that Berry anime with no regard for the real human people who'd have to recreate it later. Her flouncy pink skirt is covered in glitter. She's holding a wand and wearing a tiara, and both of them have large plastic strawberries on them. She looks delighted, and Jesse can't help but be a little bit delighted too.

Shiga shows up in his costume, and the others don't recognize it right away. He seems to be dressed as...a nose? It's the size and shape of a mascot costume, and it's definitely a nose.

"You mean to tell me that you don't recognize these pores, Edwards?" Shiga says, when it becomes apparent that nobody gets his costume.

Edwards blinks underneath the Batman mask, then his face falls. "You dressed up _as my nose_ for Halloween?"

"'Guys! C'mon!'" Shiga intones solemnly, and everyone, even Edwards, has to laugh.

Everybody likes Jesse's costume, but he waves off the compliments, saying they should save them for Reyes. Reyes is, of course, fashionably late. It wouldn't be a Halloween party if Reyes didn't make a dramatic entrance.

And make a dramatic entrance he does, throwing open the door to the lounge with some frankly preposterous villainous laughter. Everyone makes appropriately appreciative noises, which isn't hard since they're all impressed. Jesse hadn't seen Reyes's Dracula costume yet, but it's similar to Jesse's: dark pants, a waistcoat, a long and beautiful coat over the top. There's a cravat peeking over the top of Reyes's waistcoat, which Jesse is glad he doesn't have to wear. He looks great--well, Jesse thinks he _always_ looks great, but he looks comfortable in the costume, happy. He looks so much better than he had the last few months, and that makes all of this worth it, for Jesse.

Later in the night, Reyes sidles up next to him holding a cup of the incredibly alcoholic punch with a plastic eyeball floating in it.

"Having a good time?" Jesse asks.

Reyes nods, smiling.

"Well then, I'm glad we didn't ruin your favorite holiday again."

"Definitely not ruined," Reyes echoes.

"Shiga did a great job with the decorations this year, really went all out." Jesse gestures at the walls, which are covered in pumpkins and skeletons and ghosts, spiderweb and glittery black-and-orange tinsel. "I'm just sad he couldn't find the Halloween mistletoe."

Reyes, looking worried, glances up at the ceiling, like they might be somehow standing under mistletoe, like Halloween mistletoe is even a thing. The only thing above them is a string of lights shaped like little bats.

"No mistletoe," Jesse says, amused, "But you can still kiss me, if you want."

Reyes steps away from him, just a little, and huffs in annoyance. "I wish you'd stop that."

"Okay--" Jesse begins, raising his hands in surrender, but Reyes isn't done.

"I'm trying to be professional here, but you teasing me about my crush constantly feels like insult to injury. I thought not rising to it would get you to stop, but no. What do I have to do to get you to stop?"

"All you had to do was ask," Jesse says. His own voice sounds very far away. Did Reyes just say what he thinks he said? "I didn't--you thought I was teasing you?"

"Mocking me. What other possible reason could you have--"

"Because I _like_ you, idiot," Jesse says. "I flirt with you because I want to flirt with you. You're telling me that you have a _matching_ crush on _me_?"

Reyes stares at him, slack-jawed, for too long. When he manages to find his voice, he says, "Still, we shouldn't, we couldn't, I'm your Commander..."

"I think you'll find that Blackwatch in general and I in particular don't give a shit about 'should'--" Jesse drops his voice down low and sultry, "--_Commander_."

Reyes shivers.

"Like you could ever make me do something I didn't want to do."

At that, Reyes laughs. He looks at Jesse for a long, long moment, and then his face turns mischievous. "You know, I think I might have seen some of that Halloween mistletoe out in the hallway. Want to go take a look?"

Jesse grins. "Let's go look, see what happens," he says, and lets Reyes lead him out of the room.

* * *

Jesse's not sure how long they've been making out like teenagers in the dark hallway before they're interrupted. Honestly, he's not sure what interrupts them at first. He has Reyes--_Gabe_\--pinned up against the wall when he feels something push against his leg.

...the_ back _of his leg, which is much less fun and sexy.

He breaks away from Reyes and turns to look. He probably ought to be embarrassed, but finds that he's definitely not.

Shiga's in the hallway with them. It looks like he'd pushed up against Jesse with the tip of his nose costume. "_Finally_," he says.

Reyes covers his eyes and groans. "This isn't--this wasn't--what do you mean, 'finally'?"

"We thought you guys would never get it together."

Jesse looks past Shiga to the open door of the party, where everyone else is peering out at them. Everyone looks...happy, honestly. Happy for Reyes. Maybe even happy for him.

Reyes peers between his fingers at everyone and grimaces a little. He looks happy too, though, and Jesse can't help it--he kisses him again.


End file.
